Chance favors the prepared mind.

We can learn a lot from a moose. It is told that during the mating season, the moose will fight for dominance among its species. The moose battle head to head - literally - crunching their 20kg antlers together as they collide. When a moose has its antlers broken, its defeat is ensured, for the antlers are essentially its only weapon.

In these battles, the moose with the largest and strongest antlers usually wins. Brain and skill have little to do with it. The victors are determined the summer before the mating season, when the moose eat nearly round the clock. The one that consumes the heftiest and healthiest diet will be the largest with the most impressive antlers.

What is the lesson that we can learn from the moose? Well, battles are bound to flare up in our lives especially with regards to spiritual warfare. We must equip ourselves ahead of time to ensure a victorious outcome. Just as an athletes train for years to compete in major sports meet, we must be diligent to develop enduring character traits such as faith, strength and wisdom in order to prevail.

Now is the time to pray, read the bible and work to develop your spirit-man. When the battle comes, you'll be a well prepared warrior.

Be Blessed.

Look for God’s Handwriting!

Psalms 56:3 Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.

We came across this story in the book, Steel in His Soul, The Dick Hillis Story and it really ministered to us so we thought we’d pass it along.

Missionaries Dick and Margaret Hillis found themselves caught in China during the Japanese invasion. The couple lived with their two children in the inland town of Shenkiu. The village was tense with fear, for every day brought terrifying reports of the Japanese advance. At the worst possible time, Dick developed appendicitis, and he knew his life depended on making the long journey to the hospital. On January 15, 1941, with deep foreboding, Margaret watched him leave.

Soon the Chinese colonel came with the news. The enemy was near and townspeople must evacuate. Margaret shivered, knowing that one-year-old Johnny and two-month-old Margaret Anne would never survive as refugees. So she stayed put. Early next morning she tore the page from the wall calendar and read the new day’s Scripture. It was Psalm 56:3 — What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.

The town emptied during the day, and the next morning Margaret arose, feeling abandoned. The new verse on the calendar was Psalm 9:10 — Thou, Lord, has not forsaken them that seek thee.

The next morning she arose to distant sounds of gunfire and worried about food and her children. The calendar verse was Genesis 50:21 — I will nourish you and your little ones. An old woman suddenly popped in with a pail of steaming goat’s milk, and another straggler arrived with a basket of eggs.

Through the day, sounds of warfare grew louder, and during the night Margaret prayed for deliverance. The next morning she tore the page from the calendar to read Psalm 56:9 — When I cry unto Thee, then shall my enemies turn back. The battle was looming closer, and Margaret didn’t go to bed that night. Invasion seemed imminent. But the next morning, all was quiet. Suddenly, villagers began returning to their homes, and the colonel knocked on her door. For some reason, he told her, the Japanese had withdrawn their troops. No one could understand it, but the danger had passed. They were safe.

Margaret glanced at her wall calendar and felt she had been reading the handwriting of God.

God’s handwriting is all around us but so often in the midst of the wars we face, we neglect to take notice. Let’s make an effort to see His merciful hand at work in our lives today. He cares for us more than we can imagine!



This article was provided by Worthy Devotions

Dare to Believe!!!!

I was reading a book on leadership from John Maxwell, and noted this quote by A.W. Tozer - "God is looking for people through whom He can do the impossible- what a pity that we plan only the things we can do by ourselves." As I was reflecting on this quote and thinking on my 2011 resolution, I realize that giving ourselves to the Lord is the greatest form of offering. On top of that, do we dare to trust HIM for the impossible.

The boy who had five loaves and two fishes surrender it all to the hand of the Master. It was his lunch pack and I wonder what was going in his young fragile mind but he gave it freely. Remember that the little boy was hungry, just like the rest of the multitude. And remember that he had no idea what the Lord would do with his lunch, or that he would end up getting as much as he wanted to eat (John 6:11-12)! He was not forced to give anything, but he willingly gave his whole lunch bag to the Lord. The Bible says (Mark 6:42) that "They all ate and were satisfied". A total of 5,000 men and their families were fed from those loaves!

It is so easy to get in our comfort zone and miss out on the marvelous plan God has for our life. Or how often do we make safe plans because we are “shell-shocked” from the criticism of individuals who are convinced they have the extra-biblical gift of criticism? And as you well know, those individuals abuse their “gift” very liberally.

If this miracle teaches that God can do wonders with our "five loaves and two fish," why don't we see more of the spiritual and physical needs around us being met? Maybe it's because we aren't giving all that we have! Are we like the little boy who gave his whole lunch (John 6:9), or are we holding out by giving two or three loaves and keeping the rest for ourselves? What about our time and abilities? What about our goals for the future? Where is my lunch bag? Am I still clinging to my "five loaves and two fish" to meet my own needs and wants, or have I turned the whole lunch bag over to the Lord? As in the case of the boy who gave his whole lunch to the Lord, we can be sure that God will continue to meet our needs as we work with Him in meeting the needs of others!

The Lord took on Himself the responsibility for multiplying the resources. Our responsibility is to give what we have to Him--no more but no less! The little we have can meet the greatest need when it is given to Christ and then multiplied by Him.

How about being one of those rare individuals that A.W. Tozer referred to? Would you dare to step out in faith and experience the impossible that God can do through you? I need to regularly remind myself of the words in Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Do you dare to believe God for the impossible?

Be Blessed.

How little are you?

Matthew 18:4 Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Hudson Taylor was scheduled to speak at a Large Presbyterian church in Melbourne, Australia. The moderator of the service introduced him in the most eloquent and glowing terms. He told the large congregation all that Taylor had accomplished in China, and then presented him as “our illustrious guest.” Taylor stood quietly for a moment, and then opened his message by saying, “Dear friends, I am the little servant of an illustrious Master.”

If we want to do great things for the Lord, it is crucial that we become humble before Him! When we realize that we are but little servants of an illustrious Master — it is then that God will use us in a mighty way. After all, it is not our agendas, our purposes, our plans that God wants to bless — it’s God’s agenda — God’s plan — God’s purpose for our lives that He will bless to overflowing!

Let’s humble ourselves, get “little” before the Lord today and get our minds set on His purpose instead of our own.


This article was provided by Worthy Devotions.